Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh: In a breakthrough, the District Magistrate of Muzaffarnagar has ordered an inquiry after a delegation from Rashtra Jyoti and ally Vishwa Dalit Parishad submitted a complaint highlighting multiple cases of individuals who converted to Islam but continue to occupy scheduled caste-reserved Panchayat seats.
Article 341 and the Constitution Scheduled Castes Order, 1950 restricts SC reservation strictly to practicing Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists.
Bhupendra Pal Jatav, head of Rashtra Jyoti’s SC Cell and founder of Vishwa Dalit Parishad, along with other activists, met Muzaffarnagar DM Umesh Mishra on 8 September.
A memorandum was submitted regrading, among others, three cases of such fraud in the district, namely:
- Choti Begum, wife of Mohammed Amir Alam, contested and won the panchayat seat from Ward No. 1, Purkazi Block, Muzaffarnagar. This seat is reserved for scheduled castes but Choti Begum is a convert to Islam.
- Julie, wife of Mohammed Jarar Rana, is still holding the panchayat seat from Ward No. 37, Jansath, Mirapur, Muzaffarnagar. This seat is reserved for scheduled castes but Julie is a convert to Islam.
- Aafteen Ali is still holding the panchayat sear from Ward No. 3, Muzaffarnagar Nagar Parishad. This seat is reserved for scheduled castes but Aafreen is a convert to Islam.
The memorandum demanded that not only the caste certificates of these candidates be cancelled and they be dismissed from their respective positions, but criminal cases should be registered against them for various offences.
The offences include violation of IPC sections 419 (cheating), 420 (fraud), 467 (forgery of documents), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (use of forged document or electronic device as genuine), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (disappearance of evidence) along with the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the memorandum, said.
Victory: DM Responds
After receiving the memorandum, the DM of Muzaffarnagar directed the District Caste Scrutiny Committee to investigate the matter.
This marks a significant step forward in holding violators accountable and safeguarding constitutional protections meant for genuine SC communities.
